Preparation and characterization of melt-extruded thermoplastic starch/clay nanocomposites

A series of gelatinized starch–clay nanocomposites which exhibit intercalated and exfoliated structures have been developed. Various nanoclay dispersions were prepared (either by standard mixing or through the use of ultrasonics) prior to their combination with a high amylose content starch using high-speed mixing and extrusion technology. Intercalated and exfoliated type structures were observed in the sheet extruded nanocomposites using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Due to the hydrophilic nature of the gelatinized starch nanocomposite a novel preparatory technique was developed to produce nano scale sections for TEM. A range of plasticiser levels were used in conjunction with different unmodified nanoclays (sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT) and fluorohectorite (Na-FHT)) having different cationic exchange capacities. It was shown that an optimum level of both plasticiser and nanoclay existed to produce a gelatinized starch film with the highest levels of exfoliation, resulting in superior properties. The use of ultrasonics was only advantageous in terms of clay dispersions at medium clay concentrations in the Na-MMT nanocomposites and higher clay concentrations in the Na-FHT, most probably due to the difference in cationic exchange capacity; however when the level of clay, water and starch was optimised an exfoliated structure was produced via standard mixing which exhibited comparable improvements in mechanical properties to ultrasonically treated samples.